By TIM TAYLORTioga County Sports Report
NEWARK VALLEY — The 2024 football season was one in which Newark Valley coach Ted Hardenstine probably wishes he could take a mulligan. Of course, this isn’t golf and “do-overs” are not allowed, so the Cardinals will put it in the past and move forward.
NV was plagued by injury before the season even started, but the aches and pains were compounded by mistakes not usually associated with “Team Ted.”
“We are trying to get better each day,” Hardenstine said. “Last season we played undisciplined football — too many missed assignments, too many missed tackles, and we put the ball on the ground too often.
“This year we are focused on improving those three things each day. We feel that we can earn a victory each week with this mindset. As a result, we hope to put ourselves in a position to be playing for a championship in November.”
The Cardinals posted a 2-8 record last season, but shot themselves in the foot in losses to Whitney Point, Bainbridge-Guilford and Ithaca. They even hung with powerhouse Tioga until the fourth quarter.
Among the injured in 2024 were Cooper Davis, who suffered a knee injury and never played, and Titus Callahan, who was hampered for at least part of the season following a foot injury. To compound things, quarterback Nate Hinckley was lost to a broken collarbone midway through the season. Callahan went on to earn The Sports Reports All-Region honors.
NV has 15 players with varsity experience on its 23-man roster, which will be a plus.
Hinckley is back for his senior season and is a team captain along with classmate Jackson Hoover, and junior offensive linemen Oliver Ferguson and Jack Blomberg.
All four will help shore up the defense with Hinckley, Hoover and Ferguson at linebacker, and Blomberg in the trenches.
The Cardinals have some experience with their offensive weapons in senior running backs Hoover, Davis, Zion King and Logan Rhodes. NV also has a solid weapon through the air in senior tight end Tim Wojtysiak.
A couple of notable changes at Newark Valley this season are the retirement of Brian Sherwood, who led the Cardinals to their only state title in 2016, and permanent lights.
NV has played at home under portable lights, but has joined the “Friday Night Lights” movement with the exception of the homecoming game.
The team hosts Schuyler Friday night to open the season.
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2025 roster
1 Jackson Hoover, senior, RB/LB
2 Kenny Slater, sophomore, RB/DB
3 Chance Spoonhower, sophomore, TE/LB
4 Nate Hinckley, senior, QB/LB
5 Josh Benjamin, junior, RB/DB
10 Nolan Dougherty, freshman, QB/DB
11 Travis Payne, junior, RB/LB
13 Karmine Cataloni, sophomore, RB/DB
20 Cooper Davis, senior, RB/LB
24 Zion King, senior, RB/DB
25 Aiden Simmons, junior, TE/DL
26 Logan Rhodes, senior, RB/DB
37 Tristan Veruto, sophomore, TE/DB
50 Wyatt Welch, junior, OL/LB
53 Wyatt Dillow, junior, OL/DL
55 Oliver Ferguson, junior, OL/LB
56 Ryder Drybick, freshman, OL/LB
59 Troy Stebbins, junior, OL/LB
60 Titus Callahan, senior, OL/DL
61 Ayden Simpson, junior, OL/DL
64 Jack Blomberg, junior, OL/DL
65 Colby Alexander, junior, OL/DL
67 Lucas Wood, sophomore, OL/DL
70 Troy Blomberg, sophomore, OL/DL
72 Kaleb Pado, sophomore, OL/DL
77 Vance Hill, junior, OL/DL
81 Tim Wojtysiak, senior, TE/DL
85 Dekan Walker, sophomore, TE/DL
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IN PHOTO 1: Jackson Hoover (1) and Zion King are back for their senior seasons. IN TOP PHOTO: Tight end Tim Wojtysiak gives NV a formidable receiver. … STOCK PHOTOS.
